By Paulo Loreto Lim

Serving as guest speaker at the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADAIT) observance in Bacolod City earlier this week, Negros Occidental 6th District Rep. Mercedes Alvarez highlighted the importance of education in the ongoing fight against illegal drugs.
“Education is very important,” she stated. “Drug abuse among the youth can be prevented if we educate them and if we properly nurture them.”
Alvarez also encouraged families to listen to their children.
“One way of protecting them is to listen to them, listen to their aspirations, to their joys, to their concerns,” she added. “Another way of protecting them is to send them to school.”
Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia also spoke at the event, where he supported “stronger and more productive teamwork between the local government and with the Dangerous Drugs Board and concerned government agencies.”
It was previously reported, Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) executive director Maria Belen Angelita Matibag also spoke at the said event, where she discussed one of the national government’s recent projects in combatting the scourge of illegal drugs, “REHABiNASYON.”
She pointed out the program is comprised of three parts, “#RealNumbers, #RealSolutions, and #RealStories,” and explained initiatives including information dissemination, treatment and rehabilitation, and alternative development are all a part of the process.
Matibag also made a plea to families, urging them to recognize problems and to ensure positive influences are also provided to the nation’s youth.
“To our parents, you have the most influence in helping your children grow happy and learn to cope well in difficult life situations,” said the DDB chief. “It is important for us to create a strong bond between our children and this bond can be built by listening to them and showing them we care.”
A subsequent walk also took place, where the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) estimated over 17,000 city residents took part.
IDADAIT was established in 1987 by the United Nations General Assembly.
The theme for 2017 is “Listen First – Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe,” aimed at increasing support for drug prevention based on science, with a goal of promoting the well-being of children and their families./WDJ